How to compress an image to send by email

Why reduce an image before attaching it

Photos taken with a modern phone can take up several megabytes. If you attach many, the message takes longer to upload and the recipient also has to download large files. Reducing weight makes shipping more comfortable.

You don't need maximum camera quality

To view a photo on the screen or share a reference by email, it is usually not necessary to retain all the information in the original file. A balanced compression usually reduces the weight quite a bit without producing an obvious difference at normal size.

Take care of images with text

If you are sending a screenshot, a photographed invoice, or an image with small print, review the result 100%. These elements show artifacts sooner than a normal photograph.

Multiple images: compress one and compare

Before processing all the photos in a shipment, test a representative image. If the result convinces you, use a level similar to the rest. This way you avoid discovering in the end that you chose too aggressive compression.

Keep the original

Download the compressed version with a different name and save the original file. The mail can carry the light copy while keeping the top quality photo for editing or archiving.